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David Belle is the founder of Parkour. Belle began Parkour when he was 15, inspired by his father Raymond Belle and the "methode naturelle" (created by George Hébert). Belle is also the founder of PAWA (Parkour Worldwide Association).

Parkour is a physical discipline inspired by human movement, focusing on uninterrupted, efficient forward motion over, under, around and through obstacles (both man-made and natural) in one's environment. Such movement may come in the form of running, jumping, climbing and other more complex techniques. The goal of Parkour is to adapt one's movement to any given obstacle.

According to founder David Belle, the spirit of Parkour is guided in part by the notions of "escape" and "reach", that is, the idea of using physical agility and quick thinking to get out of difficult situations, and to be able to go anywhere that one desires. However, in freerunning, a closely related art emphasizing aesthetics, fluidity and beauty are important considerations

This video has an interview with the founder.
http://www.parkour-videos.com/videos/re ... sion-7-a-8

This shows the founder in action.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1426/the_urban_ninja/
Now my question could this be considered a new martial art. Or a really in depth physical skill?

Don't forget climb.

heretic888 wrote:

Blight wrote:Now my question could this be considered a new martial art. Or a really in depth physical skill?

None of the above.

What you're trying to do with Parkour is amply covered by General Athletics, Acrobatics, and Gymnastics. You can even toss in Running if you don't think you're moving fast enough.

As far as I can tell, this doesn't require a new mechanic at all.

Laterz.

You know the same could be said for most Martial art. You didn't need Jujitsu you just need hand to hand expert and wrestling .Wu-Shu = Martial Arts and gymnastics. Want Chi powers, just play a psychic. Want body hardening take more physical skills you will get more SDC. You want the art of breaking do enough damage and what you hit will break. The only reason they were made was flavor.

Blight wrote:You know the same could be said for most Martial art. You didn't need Jujitsu you just need hand to hand expert and wrestling .Wu-Shu = Martial Arts and gymnastics. Want Chi powers, just play a psychic. Want body hardening take more physical skills you will get more SDC. You want the art of breaking do enough damage and what you hit will break. The only reason they were made was flavor.

heh... i've been saying the same for the last couple years... a modular martial arts skills/program needs to be developed... but alas, i haven't been in the mood for that for a long time...

as for this fellow... nothing he did seemed beyond what any martial artists of serious study could do...

the "philosopy" part of escape and motion strikes me as similar to just about every other defensive martial art...

in the end, this guy strikes me as being the quint-essential "HtH: Martial Arts + all physical skills" guy... there's no supernatural to it, just a lack of fear and willingness to make that jump...

I was thinking a bonus to climb and roll with fall or punch. But I like the thought two slot skill.

I would personally (and this is my opinion) consider Parkour its own skill selection, as it has a specific focus, unbroken, flowing movement through the shortest route possible, optimizing body motion and not using excessive body motion. Anything flashy or excessive in motion is not parkour, so Gymnastics and Acrobatics, while straying into the realm of Parkour a bit, aren't themselves Parkour. Nor is it a martial art; you don't train to defend yourself in parkour, though the study of how the body moves would certainly aid martial study.

meh,
back when I still studied regularly, I practiced on and off with another guy who did gymnastics as well as studying (IIRC, hun gar or some derivative)

both of us could move full speed up and down flights of stairs (the HS i went too was 3 stories with no lift) through, up, down, and across multi-level stages,

heck, one guy I knew who did only football could keep up with us and was known to hurdle chairs, tables, etc just 'cause he was bored... (IIRC, his record was like 8 cafeteria chairs in a line without any starting elevation)

just with my moderate training i could do the "bounce up a corner to jump a fence/stairwell"

board breaking, katas, yes, there's a difference.

fear tho. not so much.
half the point of martial arts is overcoming the fear of your own failure.
I'd say fear of your own mortality, but the better kung fu is designed to remind you that you and your opponent are mortal, and why life is so precious...

but back on topic,
once you understand the physics of what you're doin, the rest is just developing the strength and courage.. none of those are any more difficult than the others.

being able to do something,
and believing you can,
let alone trying for the sake of trying
are also different things.

Parkour only as a occ. related or 2 secondary skills
+12% to climb X2 to climb speed -2 feet from fall per lvl
+5 roll with fall and punch
+2 to dodge
+2 to physical prowess
+1 physical strength.
+1 physical endurance
+3d6 to speed
not to shabby and not over the top.

might i suggest,
drop the parry bonus (doesn't seem to fit)
but allow them to count falls as 2' shorter per level...

could just be a physical trainer with a specialized focus.